Governments should recognise the ‘secret gems’—our common land
‘The governments in England and Wales should recognise that common land matters.’ So declared Paul Clayden, our vice-president, who chaired our annual general meeting on 6 July. ‘Commons are the secret gems in our landscape, ancient places which have remained largely unchanged through history. We are dismayed that the Westminster government is so dilatory about…
Read MoreGreens review rejected by experts’ gathering
The national seminar on common land and town and village greens on 1 July, at the University of Gloucester, rejected the notion of a wholesale review of the laws for the registration of new greens. Kate Ashbrook, general secretary of the Open Spaces Society, proposed the motion This seminar believes that little change is needed…
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Our founder honoured on Hightown Common
We joined the National Trust and the Ringwood and Fordingbridge Footpath Society on 29 June in marking the restoration by the trust of an important seat on Hightown Common in the New Forest. We toasted the society’s founder, Lord Eversley, in whose memory the 40-acre common was acquired in 1929, the year after his death.…
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Chailey Commons to be fenced
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has permitted East Sussex County Council to fence the Chailey Commons at North Chailey, two miles south-west of Newick.(3) The application, to which we objected, was considered at a public inquiry in March 2010, at which the inspector was Mr Peter Millman. The council applied…
Read MoreWe fight common-land swap on unique Staines Moor
We have objected to plans by Heathrow Airport Ltd to take common land and open space at Staines Moor in Surrey for the construction of a new rail-link. The promoters are offering land in exchange, but we consider this to be grossly inadequate. Staines Moor is a unique, medieval landscape, surviving as a previous wilderness…
Read MoreTen-point plan for candidates in Westminster election, May 2010
We published our ten-point plan for candidates in the general election, and asked them to sign up to it. Action plan 1. A right of appeal, and a requirement to provide suitable alternative land, before public open space is taken for another purpose 2. Law change to give county and unitary authorities a duty to…
Read MoreThreat to Bowland
The environment secretary has approved a plan to erect a temporary meteorological mast on Whit Moor Common in the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Lancashire. The mast is 50 metres high and its purpose is to assess the wind levels on the moor, as a precursor to building 20 wind turbines…
Read MoreFencing go-ahead for Wolstanton Common
The environment secretary has approved a plan to erect fencing on common land at Wolstanton, Newcastle under Lyme. The application was from the headteacher of May Bank Infants School (Staffordshire County Council) for consent, under section 38 of the Commons Act 2006, to fence off an area of common land adjoining the school. There will…
Read MoreFencing plan for Kingwood Common
We have objected to the proposed fencing of Kingwood Common, near Nettlebed in Oxfordshire. The society is consulted by law on all applications for works on common land, under section 38 of the Commons Act 2006. The society has written to the Planning Inspectorate to object to the plans submitted by the Nettlebed and District…
Read MoreCommons and greens event
The eighth national seminar on common land and town and village greens organised by the Countryside and Community Research Institute will be on Thursday 1 July at the University of Gloucestershire’s Park Campus in Cheltenham. It will focus on best practice in the management and protection of commons and greens. Our general secretary and case…
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